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| <- [[01 Moathouse]]  |  [[03 Crater Ridge Mines]] -> |
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====== 02 Temple of Elemental Evil ======

//Excerpts from [[Smike]]'s journal://

===== Oct 2 (Day 10): Off to the Temple =====

Hmmph! I've found out it's only the second of October! I could have sworn I was locked up in that cell longer than that!

My companions are finally ready to travel. We've restocked our supplies and enlisted [[Xaod]] to join us since he's been to the Temple before (he keeps mentioning some "vision" about it but it could be the mead talking).

===== Oct 3: On the road =====

These guys travel at a hard pace! Fortunately, my Floating Disk keeps me unencumbered so I can travel faster. Of course the dwarf was impressed by this trivial magick. He's rather a dim torch but he's got a good battle arm.

===== Oct 5: Nulb, a ghost town =====

[[Minh]] is dead! It happened so suddenly there was nothing we could do! I don't like the dead, why can't they just sleep quietly and leave us alone?

We were passing through a deserted village ([[Nulb]], I think [[Xaod]] called it) on our way to the temple and stopped for a bit of exploring. We were studying an oddity in a tavern when, without warning, a shadowy apparition formed and drove a ghostly blade through [[Minh]]'s back and he fell to the ground. Realizing I could be no help until the ghost was gone I made a discretionary retreat with [[Amak]]. [[Xaod]] was better equipped to handle this type of foe so he stayed behind with [[Krulla]], who was probably just too dense to know better. The dwarf's axe dispersed the apparition but he and [[Amak]] were visibly shaken by the ghost's horrific appearance.

[[Xaod]] rode back to [[Hommlet]] with [[Minh]] to have him raised. We are following on foot.

===== Oct 8: Hommlet - Raising Minh =====

We had to trade almost all the rest of our treasure to raise [[Minh]] (he never thanked us either!) but so be it. Now back to the Temple!

===== Oct 11: Nulb again =====

We're back at [[Nulb]], but we're spending the night outside of town this time.

===== Oct 12: Temple of Elemental Evil =====

We finally made it to the [[Temple of Elemental Evil]]. Horrible looking place. Not much action outside, just a few hobgoblins that I disabled quietly, so we went through the courtyard into the temple. Rather ugly place. Lots of hideous carvings and such. Interestingly, it's got the same three-pronged shape as the medallions we found in the [[Moathouse]]. Also, some old mechanism involving colour-coded flagstones at the foot of a throne but it's long since broken.

We happened across a few goblins threatening a man so we rescued him. His name was [[Tiadden]] and he was on his way to [[Hommlet]] (I think) when he was waylaid and forced into slavery. The slavers kept him at a tower to the northeast of the temple. [[Xaod]], bored and skeptical of his "vision", agreed to escort [[Tiadden]] back to [[Hommlet]].

I'll have to keep a closer eye on [[Minh]]--he's dangerous when bored! I've never met an elf with such a short attention span, he's worse than a gnomechild! Just as [[Xaod]] and [[Tiadden]] were preparing to leave, [[Minh]] blew a whistle, attracting the attention of a score of nasty dogs and hobgoblins, including one King [[Rarcus]]. He was pretty tough but [[Krulla]]'s axe made short work of him. That axe isn't a tool in [[Krulla]]'s hands, it's an extension of his body! Beautiful--if a little gory--to see him at work. Amazing, really, considering that he can barely lace his boots.

Not much else to say except we discovered some goblin young. They weren't cooperative so we let them go. We're spending the night in the temple, barricaded in [[Rarcus]]' chambers.

I've been reviewing the journal of [[Geynor Ton]] and I noticed a few things:

  * [[Geynor Ton]] was "cooped up in [a] flourmill [in [[Hommlet]]] with the creature." We should check that out.
  * It was probably [[Dunrat]] who tricked Spoon into giving away the relics my partners found.
  * I was only kept alive because of my unusual coloring. For that alone, I think I'll keep it. 

===== Oct 13: Undra, a sly foe =====

Had some visitors overnight. A pair of ogres. [[Minh]] and [[Amak]] helped me put them down. ([[Krulla]] was no use, he couldn't even put his armour on. Like I said, can barely lace his boots.) We explored downstairs but it was caved in, just a nasty ape hiding down there.

Nothing left in the temple so we hiked over to the tower. As we were trying to get in somebody got the drop on us. (Quite literally...flasks of burning oil!) They obviously didn't know who they were dealing with though, we burst in the door and I laid them to waste. There were a few goblins (apparently slaves of the hobgoblins) hiding in a little hole but we couldn't get them out so we left them there.

Next, we went over to explore the ruined building to the west. Didn't find much there, just a few hobgoblins for [[Minh]] and [[Krulla]] to play with. The Temple seemed largely deserted so I decided we should head back to [[Hommlet]] to report to the [[Cannoness]].

On our way through a grove in the courtyard we were ambushed by a sly enemy, [[Undra]]. Her skills in stealth tracking and magicks were quite effective in disabling the power in the party: she trapped [[Amak]] in a noose and pinned me to a tree with a well-aimed crossbow bolt. She managed to evade [[Minh]] and [[Krulla]] for a time but they finally caught up to her. I would've enjoyed the hunt but a bolt through the shoulder rather hampers one's style. We found on her corpse, a letter indicating the [[Temple of All Consumption]] (near [[Rastor]]) is the source of our troubles (and the place to go to settle my debt of pain) so we propose to head back to [[Hommlet]] and then make our way to [[Rastor]].

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[[Undra]],

Master [[Dunrat]] has told me that powerful intruders have interfered with our activities at the Moathouse, and they may be aware of us. May the [[Dark God]] swallow their souls! They must be eliminated. Have our agents in [[Hommlet]] deal with them quietly as to not raise further suspicion. Stop by [[Rastor]] on your way down from the crater and see [[Tal Chammish]]. He has something that will help us with this task.

Scout around the old Temple and ensure that the hobgoblins we have permitted to gather there do not catch wind of our efforts. Gather any information you can on these interlopers and return quickly to the [[Temple of All Consumption]] with your findings.

The Prophesy shall be fufilled just as the [[Doomdreamers]] said. Praise be the [[Final Dissolution]]!

Mistress [[Nasquent]].
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That self-same ghost [[Krulla]] dispersed was standing at the tavern window (leering at us) at [[Nulb]] when we passed through. I hightailed it through there, I can tell you! By gods, I will never set foot in that horrid town again! We didn't stop for the night until we had put it a good many miles behind us.

===== Oct 17: Trouble in Hommlet =====

Got back into [[Hommlet]] to a hubbub: apparently the decomposing bodies, bound and weighted, of the miller and his wife found in the river. Naturally, I suspected [[Geynor Ton]] and his cronies, and a talk with the miller's apprentice, [[Nigen]], confirmed it: the miller had some "friends" staying with him in the cellar. They bought some horses and a wagon and left town about a week ago.

We had a rather unproductive chat with the local teamster, [[Naresh]], who apparently has something of a problem with elves. [[Amak]] got a little heavy-handed with him and ended up getting fined by the town constable. (Must keep an eye on [[Amak]], he seems to be acting funny since he triggered that twisted sun symbol at the [[Moathouse]].) [[Rudolph]] at the stables was more cooperative. He confirmed that he sold a team of horses to some guys who left along the west road (to [[Rastor]]?).

We're going to spend a few days here so we can gather supplies before we head off to [[Rastor]] (about a fortnight's ride to the southwest).

===== Oct 19: Loan =====

Loaned [[Krulla]] 30 gold dukats today so he could purchase some restoration services from the [[Cannoness]]. Interest accumulates as follows until the entire principal and interest are paid off: nothing on Oct 20 [day 28: i(28)=0], one copper on Oct 21 [day 29: i(29)=1cp], thereafter the sum of the interests on the two previous days [day n: i(n) = i(n-1) + i(n-2)]. I think it'll prove to be a good investment.

===== Oct 24: Off to Rastor =====

All rested up and ready to take on the trouble brewing at the [[Temple of All Consumption]]. Bought myself a pony (I think I'll call him [[Patrick]]) and some healing potions from [[Spugnoir]]. The [[Cannoness]] offered [[Terjon]] into our service again; he's a grumpy old sod but he does have some uses. Maybe he'd be interested in my theories on good and evil, I'll have to remember to discuss it with him on our trip.

[[Krulla]] owes me 30gp (principal) + 3cp.

===== Oct 29: Travelling =====

Is there nobody to talk to in this company? [[Krulla]]'s thicker than rock soup, [[Minh]] has an attention span smaller than a pixie's bladder, [[Amak]] is about as loquacious as a dead troll, and [[Terjon]]? He's the worst of them all, the smug old git! Everytime you try to delve into the metaphysics of good versus evil, he spouts off some sermon about [[Jaanus]]. You just can't talk to him. I've been bored out of my mind for the last 5 days!

[[Krulla]]'s debt: 30gp, 34cp.